change to 5ghz wifi

How to Switch from 2.4GHz to 5GHz in Windows 10

Find out if your Windows 10 computer supports 5GHz and how to switch from 2.4GHz to 5GHz.

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to increase your internet speed, switching from 2.4GHz to 5GHz might give you what you're looking for. In Windows 10, you can quickly do it via Device Manager as long as your computer supports 5GHz.

So, how do you check if your PC supports 5GHz, and how do you turn it on if it does? Let's explore the answer to these questions.

How to Check if Your Computer Supports 5GHz on Windows 10

The first step of the process is to make sure your computer supports 5GHz. To do this, we can do a quick and easy command using the Command Prompt :

• In the Start menu search bar, search for command prompt and select Run as administrator .
• In the Command Prompt window, type netsh wlan show drivers .
• Press Enter .

Now, take a look at the values next to Radio types supported and compare what you see to the notes below.

• 802.11g and 802.11n . Your computer supports only 2.4GHz.
• 802.11n , 802.11g , and 802.11b . Your computer supports only 2.4GHz.
• 802.11a or 802.11ac . If you can find these among the displayed values, your computer supports 5GHz.

Note: Before making any changes to your network adapter properties, write down the default settings in case something goes wrong.

How to Switch to 5GHz on Windows 10

Usually, your computer should have no problem deciding if it should use 2.4GHz or 5GHz. But if you’ve compared the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, and decided you want to change the network band to 5GHz, here is how you can do it.

• Click Start > Device Manager . Or use the Win + X keyboard shortcut and select Device Manager .
• Select View > Show hidden devices to make sure Windows 10 displays all drivers.
• Expand the Network adapters list.
• Right-click the Wi-Fi adapter > Properties .
• Open the Advanced tab.
• Set Property to Band or Preferred band . This option can have a different name depending on the adapter producer.
• Use the drop-down menu below Value and select 5GHz .
• Click OK to save the new changes.

Besides switching to 5GHz, you can try changing your router’s Wi-Fi channel to improve your network’s overall performance.

How to Force Windows 10 to Use 5GHz

If there is no Band or Preferred Band option available in the wireless adapter properties, you will have to force the change. Search the Property list for an option named VHT 2.4G. If VHT 2.4G is available, set Value to Disable to turn off the 2.4GHz option and force your wireless adapter to switch to 5GHz.

If you can’t find any of these options, your wireless adapter only supports 2.4GHz. As a last solution, you can try connecting manually to a 5GHz wireless network or change your Wi-Fi router frequency, but this will affect every device connected to it.

Test How 5GHz Works for You

There is no outright better choice when it comes to using 2.4GHz or 5GHz. 5GHz should give you better internet speed while 2.4GHz works better if the signal has to travel through obstacles. However, you can use our guide to switch to 5GHz and see what works better for you.

Enable 5GHz on Windows 10 to improve Wi-Fi performance

Target audience: Students, faculty and staff members

You can improve your Wi-Fi performance by setting the preferred frequency band option to 5Ghz. Follow the steps below. 

In this article:

Verify your network adapter capability

• Steps to set band to 5Ghz
• Right click on the Start button and select Run . Type cmd .

• If you see 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n and 802.11ac network modes, then your computer has 2.4 GHz and 5GHz network capability and you will be able to enable the band to 5GHz. Follow the steps below.
• If you see 802.11n, 802.11g and 802.11b network modes, then your computer has 2.4GHz network capability only and you will not be able to enable 5GHz.

Steps to set band to 5GHz

• Under Property select Preferred Band

Internet speeds can sometimes be very problematic and no one wants that. Whether you are a student or a professional, bad internet is bound to spoil your mood. There are different things that you can do, to ensure that you get good internet speeds . One of these things is that you can change Wi-Fi bands on your PC. In this tutorial, I will show you how to change between 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi bands on Windows 10.

Change Between 2.4Ghz and 5GHz WiFi Bands

So, why should you change Wi-Fi bands? If your router has a 5GHz frequency and your computer has the same adapter, you will get a better internet speed. However, sometimes your computer is unable to detect the 5GHz band and you will automatically use the 2.4GHz band. Some computers can use both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and you can force it, to use the latter. First, you need to figure out what bands are supported on your PC.

Related Story How to Enable God Mode on Windows 10/11 in Just Three Steps

Check supported bands.

A 2.4GHz WiFi can cover a large area and can penetrate solid objects and walls. A 5GHz WiFi will give you speeds of about 1 Gbps.

Step-1: Go to the Start menu and type cmd . Click Open.

netsh wlan show drivers

Step-3: Now look for Radio types supported :

•   802.11g and 802.11n means that your system only supports 2.4GHz
•  802.11n , 802.11g , and 802.11b means your system only supports 2.4GHz
•  If multiple bands show up including 802.11a or 802.11ac then it means that your system supports both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

In the image below, you can see that there is a string of bands including 802.11a and 802.11ac, hence the system supports both bands.

Change Between 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz Bands

•  Right-click on the Start menu to display the WinX menu. (Shortcut keys: Win + X )

This simple method will change the bands and will help improve your internet speeds.

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Further Reading

How to Connect Your Windows Laptop to a TV

How to Force Uninstall Programs on Windows 10/11 Computers

How to Find Your Windows 10 Product Key – Step-by-Step Tutorial

How to Disable Find My Device Option in Windows 10 Computers

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How to force 5GHz Wi-Fi on Windows 11

5GHz Wi-Fi is faster and has lower latency, and most Windows 11 devices support it. Here's how to make sure you're using it.

Wi-Fi lets us connect to the internet without the need for cables, and it's been pretty much essential for most people these days. In total, Wi-Fi networks can operate on three frequency bands — 2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 6GHz — and the higher the frequency, the higher the speeds, but the smaller the reach of the network. Higher frequencies are more easily blocked by walls, which means the 6GHz band is meant for more specific use cases where you need the fastest speeds and you're in a position close to your router.

The 5GHz band is far more common than 6GHz, and it has a longer range, so it's usually the best option if you're using Wi-Fi. Most modern equipment, whether that's routers or computers, support 5GHz Wi-Fi, but it can sometimes be hard to know if you're making use of it. Routers will often broadcast the 2.4GHz and 5GHz signal under the same SSID (the name of the Wi-FI network), and there's no obvious way to switch between the two bands. Thankfully, Windows 11 does let you force your computer to use the 5GHz network when available.

How to force your PC to connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi

In order to use 5GHz Wi-Fi, both ends of the connection need to support it. As we've mentioned, most modern laptops and PCs support 5GHz connections, so if you're running Windows 11, you're almost guaranteed to have a compatible PC. Your router should support it, too, but this will depend on the model of router you have. Check with the manufacturer to make sure.

Now, to make sure your PC connects to the 5GHz network instead of 2.4GHz, follow these steps:

• Right-click the Start menu button on the taskbar and choose Device Manager .
• Expand the Network devices option and search for an item that mentions Wi-Fi. There should be only one.
• Switch to the Advanced tab.

Options may have slightly different names depending on the adapter in your laptop. Try to look for something that looks similar.

• Optional : On some older devices, you may also need to look for a Wireless mode option and make sure it's using a 5GHz-compatible standard, such as 802.11ax (preferred), 802.11ac, or 802.11n.

Once this is done, you can close Device Manager, and your PC should automatically connect to the 5GHz band for any network that operates in both 5GHz and 2.4GHz.

How to check if your computer is using 5GHz Wi-Fi

In Windows 11, it's very easy to check if your computer is using the 5GHz band, especially after the update to Windows 11 version 22H2 .

• Right-click the Wi-Fi icon on your taskbar and click Network and Internet settings .
• If you don't see it, click the Properties button.

That's all there is to it. If your PC isn't using a 5GHz network, it's either because your router doesn't have it or because that band is a higher frequency and out of range. Some routers also have different network names for the 5GHz band, so you may need to connect to a different network in your settings. This will often be just the same network name but with a number like 5 at the end.

If you're looking to learn more about other Windows 11 tips and tricks, maybe check out how to password-protect a ZIP file .

Top Contributors in Windows 10: Ramesh Srinivasan  -  questions_  -  neilpzz  -  Horace Wiggins  -  _AW_ 👏

November 15, 2023

Top Contributors in Windows 10:

Ramesh Srinivasan  -  questions_  -  neilpzz  -  Horace Wiggins  -  _AW_ 👏

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I want to switch my network from 2.4ghz to 5ghz.

Ive tried everything possible, when i first built my computers a couple days ago it came with the Wi-Fi preset at 5ghz and i tweaked some settings and now i can't get it back to 5ghz, i tried switching the preferred band to 5ghz and reinstalling the Wi-Fi drivers but it doesn't change it say preferred band 5ghz but when i go to my network properties it shows 2.4ghz. i need help

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Did all steps and restarted my pc and still on 2.4ghz even if the band is on prefered 5ghz

2 people found this reply helpful

What type of modem/router do you have and what wi-fi standard is available? How many bands are available?

On your computer what type of adapter does it have? What wi-fi standard does it have?

Wi-Fi 6 Definition (techterms.com)

Wi-Fi Definition (techterms.com)

Wifi 6 , I dont know the exact modem but its from Verizon and its 5ghz, when i first built my pc the wifi was set to 5ghz but i screw up in the wifi settings and cant get it back.

WIFI-6 Dual Band

5ghz is enabled on my network, my computer just doesnt want to switch to it

still didn’t work

Its set to 2.4ghz , i switched it to preferred band 5Ghz and it doesnt apply the changes

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Home › Knowledge Base › Network issues

How To Enable 5GHz Wi-Fi On Laptop

You may have encountered such weird things: You put in your modem with two bandwidths, 2.4GHz, and 5GHz. Your computer only sees the one of 2.4GHz.

Choose your situation and check the solutions:

Connecting to 5GHz for the first time

Accessible before, but doesn’t recognize now.

Superfast internet and up to $250 in reward cards

If you bought a new dual-band router that has a 5GHz radio, or it’s your first time putting your router into 5GHz, but your computer does not see the 5GHz WiFi, these fixes may work for you. You don’t need to try all of them, just work your way down till you find the one that works for you.

• Check your network adapter capability
• Change network adapter mode
• Update your driver

1. Check your network adapter capability

One probable reason is that your network card does not have 5GHz bandwidth capability. You could check it by following the steps below.

• Click the Start menu.
• Press the Windows logo key and R key at the same time.

If it says that the network adapter supports 802.11g and 802.11n network modes, it means that the computer has 2.4 GHz network capability only.

If it says that the adapter supports 802.11a and 802.11g , 802.11n , and 802.11ac network modes, it means that the computer has 2.4 GHz and 5GHz network capability.

If it says 802.11n 802.11g and 802.11b network modes, it means the computer has 2.4GHz network capability only.

If you find out your network card doesn’t support 5 GHz, you have to buy a new network card or buy a USB wifi adapter .

2. Change network adapter mode

If your network card support 5 GHz, then check your network adapter, you may disable 5 GHz in the network adapter by accident. The solution is easy, changing your network adapter mode would fix the issue.

• Then you should be able to see 5 GHz.

3. Update your driver

This might be caused by driver issues. Before you move on, it’s suggested that you update the driver first. You can download network drivers from the manufacturer’s official website. Search for the model you have and find the correct driver that suits your specific operating system. Then download the driver manually.

If you don’t have the time, patience, or computer skills to update the driver manually, you can do it automatically with  Driver Easy .

Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.

You can update your drivers automatically with either the  FREE  or the  Pro  version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version , it takes just 2 clicks (and you get full support and a  30-day money back guarantee ):

• Download   and install Driver Easy.

If you upgrade your computer system then your computer doesn’t recognize WiFi 5 GHz while your devices remain the same, the below fixes may help:

• Update your drivers
• Reinstall your driver
• Change your router channel

1. Update your drivers

This issue is highly related to your driver. We suggest updating the network driver first. Windows 10 doesn’t always give you the latest version. But with outdated or wrong drivers, you may encounter this issue.

There are two ways you can update your driver: manually and automatically.

Option 1 – Manually – You’ll need some computer skills and patience to update your drivers this way, because you need to find exactly the right driver online, download it and install it step by step.

Option 2 – Automatically (Recommended) – This is the quickest and easiest option. It’s all done with just a couple of mouse clicks – easy even if you’re a computer newbie.

Option 1 –   Download and install the driver manually 

You can download graphics drivers from the manufacturer’s official website. Search for the model you have and find the correct driver that suits your specific operating system. Then download the driver manually.

Option 2 – Automatically update drivers

If you don’t have time or patience to manually update your graphics drivers, you can do it automatically with  Driver Easy .

You can update your drivers automatically with either the  FREE  or the  Pro  version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version it takes just 2 clicks (and you get full support and a  30-day money back guarantee ):

2. Reinstall your driver

If updating the driver doesn’t work, reinstalling the driver may help. It is pretty easy to reinstall the driver for your wireless network adapter. Here is how:

• When it is finished, your wireless network adapter will  disappear  from the list of  Network adapters .

3. Change your router channel

This should be your final solution. Usually, the default settings of routers generally meet local requirements, and the channel setting of the router is in auto mode.

When your router’s channel number changes, your router is using another country’s channel number which causes your phone or your computer cannot detect 5G WiFi. Therefore, changing the router channel number manually can solve the problem.

How to change your router channel

• Press the Windows key + R together to open the Run box.
• Type cmd and press Enter .
• Type ipconfig and press Enter .

• Open a web browser on your PC and paste the IP address into the address bar. Hit the Enter key.
• Enter your username and password.
• Open Wireless Settings .
• Find the Channel section and change the number.
• Save the change.

Here’s a hint. When you manually change the channel number, you’d better set it between 36-48 or 149-165. It’s because you need to avoid Dynamic Frequency Select (DFS) which is channels (50-144). Weather radar uses the same channel, so if there’s an in-used weather radar nearby, the equipment will switch to a different channel automatically.

That’s it! Hope this post could help you fix the issue. If you have any questions or suggestions, you’re welcome to leave comments below.

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Camilla, a certified MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional), has almost four years technical writing experience. Before working as a technical writer for Driver Easy, she was a technical support agent, helping people to solve their computer problems. She enjoys providing solutions to computer problems and loves exploring new technologies.

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How to set up 5GHz WiFi on your modem

The "Radio Setup" section of your modem's wireless setup allows you to change the wireless channel, power level, 802.11 mode, spatial streams, aggregation, and MIMO power save. 

Note:   Your modem settings may appear slightly different from the images below, but the steps will be the same.

1.  Connect a device to your network over WiFi or using an Ethernet cable connected to your modem. This works best on a tablet or computer.

2.  Open a web browser and type  http://192.168.0.1  into the web address field.

3.  Sign in to the modem settings (GUI) using your  Admin Username and  Admin Password , printed on the sticker.

Find the Admin Username & Password on the modem sticker

You can find the Admin Username and Password printed on the sticker attached to the side, back or bottom of the modem.

CAUTION!   Do not remove your modem sticker. It includes your default Admin Username and Admin Password , which cannot be retrieved if lost. Your modem could become unusable without them. 

4. Select Wireless Setup  in the main menu.

5.  Select "5 GHz" in the left sidebar. 

6.  Select "Radio Setup."

7.  Select a channel, from 1 to 11. Learn how to check your modem's  wireless status  for the best available channel. 

8.  Select the desired wireless channel width. 

9.  Select a wireless power level (from 25% to 100%). The optimal power level depends on your environment.

•  Lower  power settings create a circular coverage area with better coverage near the modem but a shorter signal range.
•  Higher  power settings create an elliptical coverage area with a longer range but with reduced coverage closer to the modem.

10.  Select a 802.11 mode. 

11.  Select "Apply" to save your changes.

An overview of the 5 GHz channel will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.

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